Leaked BlackBerry 10 images show 'live tiles,' other changes

BlackBerry 10 has been missing in action for months, but some images have now leaked on the Web purporting to show the operating system in action.

The blog Crackberry last night posted BlackBerry 10 images it claims to have obtained from a 14-page PDF file prepared by "one of RIM's external ad agency partners." RIM's current generation of BlackBerry devices are included in the images and are all running its upcoming operating system, casting some doubt on their authenticity.

Still, their contents are notable. One image shows the operating system displaying widgets that seem to mimic the functionality of Windows Phone 7's Live Tiles--a feature that has been rumored for quite some time, but never confirmed. In addition, the operating system images show the Folder icon listing some of the apps included in it, eliminating some of the guesswork found in RIM's current operating system.

For RIM fans, the real question is when BlackBerry 10 will be making its way to devices. A BlackBerry codenamed "Colt" was supposed to be the first BlackBerry 10 phone, but according to reports, plans to launch it have been scrapped. Another phone, codenamed Milan, was initially believed to feature BlackBerry 10, but Boy Genius Report said last month that RIM has decided to bundle BlackBerry 7 with the handset.

It now appears RIM is focusing all its BlackBerry 10 efforts on a device codenamed London. However, there's no telling when that device might launch.

At an earnings call in December, RIM said that it had pushed back BlackBerry 10 to late next year, and asked investors for "your patience and confidence." The company told CNET in a follow-up e-mail in December that "the broad engineering impact of this decision and certain other factors significantly influenced the anticipated timing for the BlackBerry 10 devices."

RIM did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment on the Crackberry leak.